14 March 2011

The winter season doesn’t officially end until the IAAF World Cross Country Championships next Sunday 20 March when full Aviva GB&NI teams line up in Punta Umbria, Spain, but spring is arguably already here with the countdown to the Virgin London Marathon on 17 April and that’s reflected with a number of impressive road performances over the weekend in addition to indoor PBs in the unique World Indoor Throwing Competition in Sweden.

City Pier City Half Marathon, March 13

Neil Renault went second in the McCain Power of Ten half-marathon rankings for 2011 when he finished 20th in the quality Dutch race in a personal best 64:49.

Results here: http://www.cpcloopdenhaag.nl/verslag-2011/uitslagen

NCAA Indoor Championships, College Station, USA, March 12

Chris O’Hare, who already tops the McCain Power of Ten rankings in the Mile with a 3:56.48 clocking, finished a very close second in the American Collegiate championships with a time of 3:59.62. The winner ran 3:59.49.

Results here: http://www.ncaa.com/sites/default/files/files/D1indoorfinalresults.pdf

World Indoor Throwing Competition, Vaxjo, Sweden, March 12

Brett Morse (coach: Nigel Bevan) started his 2011 discus season in style by throwing 60.99m in an indoor competition in Sweden. Obviously arenas big enough to cater for indoor discus competitions are rare and this was a British indoor best, breaking his record from this event last year by 89cm.

Eden Francis (coach: Glenys Morton) went top of the McCain Power of Ten shot putt rankings with her 16.14m throw, bettering her previous best this year of 15.93m.

Results here: http://kundweb.netatonce.com/~u25443/prel-wit.htm

20 mile round up

This weekend was a peak time for 20 mile races with Susan Partridge (coach: John Montgomery) winning the very tough Spen 20 in 2:10.54, nine seconds up on her PB and winning time last year, to put her seventh in the McCain/Power of Ten rankings.

The Finchley 20, first held in 1933 and one of Britain’s road races, saw wins for sub-2:20 marathon aspirant Ben Fish (coach: Arthur Almond) and veteran track record holder Clare Elms. Their respective times of 1:57:49 and 2:08:08 put them both third in the McCain Power of Ten rankings.

According to the McCain Power of Ten stats, Elms’ time is believed to be an UK best for an over 45.

Louise Gardner ran 2:08:45 in winning the Gloucester 20 women’s race to go fourth in the rankings.

Ben Gamble won the Stafford 20 in 1:48:43 to go fifth in the rankings.

Results here:

Spen: http://ukresults.net/2011/spen20.html

Finchley: http://www.hillingdonac.co.uk/Generalresults/Finchley20results2011.pdf

Gloucester: http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=44060&event=20M&venue=Gloucester&date=13-Feb-11

Stafford: http://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2011/stafford20.pdf